Lacock
courses for choral
and consort singers
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After Palestrina
Luca Marenzio ~ Iniquos odio habui, Missa Iniquos odio habui, Jubilate Deo
Asprillio Pacelli ~ Veni sponsa Christi, Beati estis a9, Gaudent in caelis a9
Giovanni Francesco Anerio ~ Litania deiparare virginis a8, Salve Regina a8
Vincenzo Bertolusi ~ Ego flos campi a6, Osculetur me a7
Eamonn Dougan writes: ‘The figure of Palestrina sits above all Italian Renaissance composers, the supreme master, but what of his contemporaries, those who studied under him, sang in the choirs he directed or were in the generation just after him? This course will explore works by four such figures: Marenzio, the renowned madrigalist, Pacelli, a chorister under Palestrina at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Anerio who it is thought studied with Palestrina and Bertolusi, schooled not in Rome, but in another great Italian musical hotbed, Venice. All of whom pay homage to Palestrina, but are also great composers in their own right. We will be looking at works in numerous parts, with plenty of cori spezzati.’
Eamonn Dougan has been a regular Lacock director for the past ten years. He is himself a singer and his courses always contain a substantial element of vocal technique. He is Associate Conductor of The Sixteen and founding Director of Britten Sinfonia Voices. 
Eamonn is an engaging communicator with a particular passion for the Sixteenth and Twentieth Century repertoire, Bach, the French and Polish Baroque. Recent engagements have seen Eamonn conduct Così fan tutte at the Ryedale Festival, Fauré Requiem with the newly formed Chiltern Arts Festival Chorus, and Mozart La finta giardiniera with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Experience Ensemble. Eamonn has a highly successful five-disc Polish Baroque series with The Sixteen. The first disc, music by Bartlomiej Pekiel, was shortlisted for a Gramophone Award (‘Richly dramatic’ – The Observer). The fifth disc, music by Marcin Mielczewski, was released to widespread critical acclaim in September 2017. Since 2008 Eamonn has been a Visiting Professor to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where he teaches ensemble singing and directs the Guildhall Consort.
THE COURSE
The plan is to meet at Hotel Monteconero for a 5pm rehearsal on Sunday 11 June. Then from Monday to Friday there will be rehearsal sessions each morning and at the end of the afternoon. We have dinner together in the hotel. We will give a final concert in the church at the hotel in the evening of Friday 16 June. The course ends after breakfast on Saturday 17 June.
Patrizia and Augusto Melappioni, the third generation of owner-managers of the Hotel Monteconero, with receptionist Sabrina Marini (centre) in the courtyard of the hotel with the church in the background.
HOTEL MONTECONERO
We all stay at the Hotel Monteconero, which gives exceptional value for the degree of comfort on offer. The rate for half board per person per day excluding drinks in a double room is €90.00 (for the whole course €540, about £470). There is a daily supplement of €20 for single occupancy. A room will be booked for you on registration; you pay the charges direct to the hotel. Ancona is the nearest airport; Ryanair fly there from Stansted, and Lufthansa from Munich, with connecting flights from many other airports. The hotel will send a minibus to meet the Ryanair flight on Sunday 10 June and we will arrange the sharing of taxis for other arrivals. The nearest railway station is Ancona.
FEES AND ENROLMENT
The fee for the course is paid in two parts: a deposit of £275 or the equivalent in euros on registration and €350 on or before arrival at Monteconero. The deposit may be credited to another course if you have to withdraw and we are able to allocate your place to another singer. The fee includes payment for a booklet containing all the music, which will be sent to you in advance but not travel; meals and accommodation are paid separately direct to the hotel.
